


If You Love Me Don't Let Go

by xLoveMx



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Child Abuse, Implied Torture, Temporary Character Death, Widojest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:28:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29828418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLoveMx/pseuds/xLoveMx
Summary: “Jester! Do something!” Veth’s voice rang out, too loud in the otherwise quiet room, and it made her jerk back, almost dropping the diamond she had barely managed to pull out.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre & Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre & Nott | Veth Brenatto & Yasha, Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast, Nott | Veth Brenatto & Caleb Widogast
Comments: 2
Kudos: 66





	If You Love Me Don't Let Go

**Author's Note:**

> I have been a ball of anxiety since last Thursday, and until we know how this scene really goes down, I am sticking with my own version of events.
> 
> Oh and yeah: Fuck Trent Iki-thong!

Jester felt the adrenaline pulsing through her veins in an attempt to somehow get her head clear enough to find a way to get out of this situation. There were too many things going on at the same time though, the fear of not getting out of this place alive, not knowing what was happening to their friends outside, and the anger at Veth for messing with the crates when they had needed to get out of here, and before Jester could even begin to come up with another plan, she suddenly couldn’t move. Her entire body had locked up, and she barely managed to move her eyes to notice that Veth seemed to be in the same situation, having pulled out her crossbow, but it was frozen halfway up in the air.

“Curious indeed,” Trent’s voice sent a shiver down her spine and Jester glanced down to where her own hand had been reaching for Caleb but was also locked in place just inches away from his own. “I am impressed. Well...I think I would have been more impressed if you had managed to pull this off without alerting half the Sanatorium to your presence,” He put a finger to his chin, as if he was thinking, and Jester felt like screaming, but there was no sound coming from her throat, instead she felt tears forming in her eyes, but refused to let them fall.

“I assume you know that I will have to teach you a lesson. Bren should know the punishment for failure,” His lips seemed to curve into a smirk then, before he continued, “But...maybe that takes too long. I don’t have all day, after all. Some of us have honest work to do,”

Jester felt her stomach twist, watching as Trent lifted his arm and seemingly muttered a word she couldn’t make out from where she was standing, but she assumed it wasn’t anything good. For a moment she braced herself against the pain that was surely coming, her eyes automatically trying to close, but nothing happened.

“I’m sure you have a few diamonds handy. Yes, Miss Lavorre?” His voice seemed to pierce the inside of her head and Jester moved her eyes, just in time to see Caleb drop to the floor beside her. “I’m afraid there’s none in here, but please, feel free to take anything else you’d like,” The smirk was still on his face as he turned, waving his hand in the air once more, and suddenly Jester felt her body move.

Veth’s crossbow fired automatically, but there was no target to hit anymore.

“Caleb!” dropping down to her knees, Jester rested her hands on his chest, attempting to heal him, but it was of no use. “No...no...” She could feel the panic rising again, fighting the urge to throw up as she caught sight of Caleb’s face, eyes wide open, expression frozen in fear and pain.

“Jester, do something!” Veth was still standing, hand around her crossbow with her knuckles white from holding on so tightly.

“W-We can’t do this here...” She muttered, still fighting the panic as she glanced back and forth between her two friends. “You need to tell the others that we need to leave, right now!” One of her hands had curled into the fabric of Caleb’s coat and was holding on as the world around her began to spin. She didn’t even notice Veth pull out the copper wire and speak into it and was only pulled out of her trance like state when her friend grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Jester! Come on!” Veth’s eyes were wide with panic as much as hers, and Jester only managed to nod, her hands shaking as she began casting the spell to take them away. It once again felt like the room was spinning and they were being pulled into a hundred different directions. She was sure that she was going to throw up, not even knowing if everything was blurry because of the spell or because she was still crying. Within seconds they had solid ground beneath their feet again though, but Jester barely recognized her old bedroom, her eyes only focused on Caleb, whose body was on the floor, with Jester holding on to his coat. It took her a moment to unclench her fingers from it, even if it was reluctantly, to reach into her pockets to find a diamond. Part of her wished that Caduceus would have been here to help, but if they had teleported out then they were at the Lighthouse and it would take them too long to get here in time.

With her hands shaking, Jester tried her best to force her breathing to calm down, because she could feel the panic rising up again, making it hard to concentrate on anything.

“Jester! Do something!” Veth’s voice rang out, too loud in the otherwise quiet room, and it made her jerk back, almost dropping the diamond she had barely managed to pull out.

“I’m trying!” Her voice was nearly breaking as she pressed the diamond to Caleb’s chest, trying to remember how to cast the spell, but it was hard to get any kind of order into her mind.

_He can’t be dead. He needs to be okay._

They had chosen this life, had chosen to get themselves in all kinds of trouble on a daily basis, and yet it was somehow easy to forget just what was at risk sometimes. Especially when she had been dancing and enjoying herself just last night.

“I need you...please come back...” Her voice was quiet, and suddenly there were hands covering hers. Glancing up, Jester managed to blink a few tears away, before her eyes met with Artagan’s.

“Well, this is unfortunate...we’re going to fix it, don’t worry dear.” There was some comfort in the way his hands were holding hers, and his familiar voice in her ear, and so Jester forced herself to focus on the diamond she had placed on Caleb’s chest, watching as it began to glow.

The light seemed to radiate a warmth and she had to close her eyes, her mind racing a hundred miles per hour. What if this didn’t work? What if she wasn’t strong enough to bring him back? And worst of all: What if he didn’t want to come back?

“Please...” Her voice was quiet as she spoke, the image of Caleb’s face appearing in front of her. The awkward smile when he had finally warmed up to her, hair falling into his face, to the handsome man she was so used to seeing now, smiling at her, with soft eyes and that little dimple on his chin that she always thought of so fondly when she found herself going back to that day at Pumat Sol’s.

Her head was still spinning, but suddenly it seemed like the pieces of a puzzle she had been so desperately trying to solve were falling into place, and Jester could feel her chest tighten.

“Caleb...” He had always been there for her, even if all he had done was sit next to her, letting her know that he was around if she needed someone to talk to. They understood each other without words, and yet Jester hadn’t been able to protect him. She had insisted to go inside that tower, even if he hadn’t wanted her to, and maybe things would have gone differently if she hadn’t tried to charm that guard, or if they had come up with a better plan. “I’m sorry...”

Suddenly there was movement beneath her fingers, and the slight pressure of the Traveler’s hands disappeared along with the blinding light.

Blinking her eyes open, Jester watched as Caleb’s chest suddenly began to rise and fall, his heartbeat clearly there as she held on to him. “Caleb!” He barely had the time to open his eyes before she had leaned down, pressing her lips to his. She hadn’t exactly planned on that being her first action once he was back to himself, and yet Jester wasn’t able to hold back. His lips were chapped and dry, and he clearly hadn’t anticipated the kiss, but before she could pull back, and regret her actions, Caleb’s arms had wrapped around her to keep her in place.

Jester’s heart did a double take and for a moment all that mattered was that he was okay, they could figure out the rest later.

“Really, that’s all it took? I died and nobody thought of kissing me afterwards,” Veth’s voice pulled them from their own little world and Jester glanced up, seeing her friend with a raised eyebrow, but also tears in her eyes.

“You’re married.” Caleb pointed out from his place on the floor, wincing ever so slightly as he managed to sit up, one arm wrapped around Jester and the other outstretched for Veth to join them.

“Well. My marriage is very open, and besides: Special situations require special actions.” Flopping down next to them, Veth leaned into Caleb for a moment, trying to subtly wipe her eyes, but failing.

“Alright, next time I revive you, I promise to give you a kiss.” Jester replied, glancing up from where she was leaning against Caleb, her lips curved into a soft grin.

“Well, that makes me feel special,” He chuckled, causing Jester to slap his chest lightly.

“You know what I mean,” She then responded with a sigh, and Caleb chuckled again, allowing himself to press a kiss to the top of her head.

“Always.”


End file.
